Steve Serby caught up with Jets running back Curtis Martin, who last week reached the top 10 in career rushing yards.

Q: One person in history you’d like to meet?

A: Jesus. I’d just like to be around the guy and watch how he operates. Study his character.

Q: Favorite athlete outside football?

A: [Michael] Jordan.

Q: If Bill Parcells wasn’t a football coach, he’d be …

A: A principal.

Q: If Herm Edwards wasn’t a football coach, he’d be …

A: A fight promoter, or motivational speaker.

Q: Who would you want to play you in “The Curtis Martin Story?”

A: Maybe a Morris Chestnut.

Q: Best piece of advice your mother ever gave you?

A: Don’t say “Yes” to something you want to say “No” to.

Q: If you weren’t a football player, what would you have been?

A: A social worker.

Q: Favorite art piece at home?

A: A painting by David Burton.

Q: If I was NFL commissioner, I would …

A: I don’t have any interest. I don’t know about that; I don’t really understand what the job of NFL commissioner is. I don’t know what I’d do.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Chess; writing; teaching.

Q: Favorite vacation spot?

A: Bahamas.

Q: Your definition of toughness?

A: Toughness has everything to do with mental toughness to me. My definition of toughness would be mental fortitude … perseverance.

Q: Fiercest competitor you’ve ever played against?

A: Zach Thomas [Dolphins LB].

Q: Best dresser on the Jets?

A: Other than myself?

Q: Yes.

A: I’m gonna go with Shaun Ellis, I guess.

Q: How would you describe your style of dress?

A: Classy.

Q: Describe your mentality on the football field.

A: Relentless.

Q: Jim Brown is my friend because …

A: Of his character. He’s also a mentor to me.

Q: Best piece of advice Jim Brown gave you?

A: We talk about so many things it’s hard to put one thing … don’t get tackled (laugh). It’s just a mentality as a running back. We always talk about what we’re passionate about. Whatever you’re passionate about, don’t ever stop doing it.

Q: How did you become friends with Mike Tyson?

A: I think Emmitt Smith and I were together one day out in Vegas and we went to go watch him work out, and after that we just sorta, like, clicked.

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about him?

A: That he’s misunderstood. People would be very surprised at how intelligent he is. You’d never believe the knowledge that this guy has. Very perceptive guy, and actually a good-hearted person. From what a lot of people see on the outside, they probably can’t identify with that, but to know him, totally different person.

Q: Why do you think you guys clicked?

A: Similar backgrounds. He’s been around enough people to sense when someone’s fake or when someone’s just blowing smoke up it. I tell him, one thing you always get from me is the truth whether you like it or not. And I know I can expect the same thing from him. I just think the realness about both of us just kinda clicked.

Q: What do you like best about playing in New York?

A: The fans; the atmosphere of New York.

Q: Favorite restaurants?

A: Mr. Chow’s; Nobu; Justin’s.

Q: Favorite Broadway play?

A: “Aida.”

Q: Pet peeve?

A: Women with dirty fingernails.

Q: Why are the homeless so important to you?

A: A lot of times it makes me appreciate my situation. There’s something interesting to me about how a person got into that situation, and maybe helping them to get out of that situation. My heart goes out to maybe help them not be a homeless person.

Q: Life after football, what do you see yourself doing?

A: No. 1, I have a few businesses that I’ll be very active in, but more importantly, football’s a vehicle for me to do a lot of my charitable work.

Q: Best football moment?

A: The playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, breaking an 80-yard touchdown and helping us [Patriots] get to the Super Bowl that year [1997].

Q: Worst football moment?

A: I think last year going 6-10.

Q: Worse than the Pats’ Super Bowl loss to the Packers?

A: Yeah, simply because it’s the worst type of feeling; it’s the worst situation to be in as a player. It’s almost as if no matter what you do, you’ve lost. You’re in a no-win situation, and I hate that.

Q: What drives you?

A: Just my desire to help people. Of course, God being that central drive, but to fulfill my purpose in life, that’s what really drives me.

Q: What drives you as a football player?

A: The desire to help my team be the best and win a Super Bowl. I use football as a vehicle, and so every time I’m out there, for every yard I gain and touchdown that I score, that opens up doors for me to impact people’s lives.

Q: Why is it so important for you to impact people’s lives?

A: The Bible says “to whom much is given much is required,” meaning that you have a large responsibility when you’ve been blessed with a lot, and for me, that responsibility, I know, is to impact people’s lives ’cause I feel like I’ve come a long way from the person I used to be to the person I am now. Nothing gives me more joy than helping people travel that same road.

Q: It sounds like you’ve gone from devil to angel.

A: Yeah, yeah; I was the devil’s best friend. I wouldn’t call myself an angel yet; I have yet to even come close to being as good as I was bad.

Q: Is 2,000 yards achievable?

A: I’m not even thinking about that right now.

Q: What do you like best about this Jets team?

A: The attitude.

Q: Describe the attitude.

A: Got a lot of hungry people. I think that the leaders have stepped up, and we’re doing a better job leading, and the hunger from the younger guys, I think is a great combination, and it creates such a good attitude for the team.